KINGSVILLE, ON - Del Fresco Pure® is proud to announce that it has been awarded the Silver Award in the OHS Culture category at the 2025 OHS Canada Honours. This recognition highlights the company’s commitment to cultivating a strong health and safety culture that prioritizes the well-being of its workforce.

The OHS Canada Honours celebrate organizations across the country that demonstrate excellence in workplace health and safety. The OHS Culture category specifically recognizes companies that actively engage employees at all levels, foster open communication, and integrate safety into the core values of the organization.

"In agriculture, cultural diversity and language barriers present unique challenges, making workers particularly vulnerable to health and safety risks," said Amanda Sharman, Food Safety Compliance and Regulatory Specialist at Del Fresco Pure®, in a recent release. "While we have always followed Health and Safety Regulations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, we recognized that we could do more to protect and empower our workforce."

In 2024, Del Fresco Pure® achieved certification by the Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) for Social Responsibility. EFI provided guidance that led the company to enhance health and safety programs, establish a Leadership Team, and create a platform where workers, supervisors, and managers could openly discuss concerns and solutions. All Leadership Team members were trained in EFI standards and worked together to improve communication, address health and safety issues, and engage the workforce in meaningful dialogue.

Key initiatives that have strengthened the company’s health and safety culture include:

• Providing training materials, notices, and policies in multiple languages to ensure all workers can fully understand protocols.
• Implementing an anonymous reporting system for workers to voice concerns safely in their native languages.
• Using visual aids, posters, and images to communicate safety information effectively to those who may struggle with reading.
• Ensuring Leadership Team members communicate directly with workers, translating as necessary, to foster understanding and trust.

These measures have significantly increased workforce engagement, allowing employees to feel more comfortable raising concerns and actively participating in safety initiatives. The Leadership Team works in tandem with the Health and Safety Team and the Joint Health and Safety Committee to continuously improve the company’s Health and Safety Management System.

"We are honored to receive the Silver Award in OHS Culture," said Carl Mastronardi, President and CEO of Del Fresco Pure®. "This recognition reflects the dedication of our entire team and underscores our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, inclusive, and responsive workplace. By integrating social responsibility standards and prioritizing continuous improvement, we are strengthening the culture of safety across our operations."

CHARLOTTE, NC - The pineapple category was ready for another shakeup, and Dole Food Company delivered. DOLE® Colada Royale Pineapple is a game-changing new non-GMO variety prepared to shake up the produce department with its unique taste and appearance. Global Produce & Floral Show attendees will be among the first to experience the variety’s indulgent hints of coconut and piña colada.

“What really sets Colada Royale apart is the eating experience. The flesh is lighter in color than most people expect, but the flavor is strikingly different,” explains Bil Goldfield, Dole’s Director of Corporate Communications. “It's sweet, bright, and with the subtle coconut note that reminds many of a piña colada. It feels indulgent, but in a natural, refreshing way.”

Colada Royale has a unique visual appeal, with a distinct green-to-gold outside and a lighter cream-colored inside. Its sweeter, bolder flavor is the result of 15 years of trial-and-error natural breeding by Dole at one of its oldest pineapple farms in Honduras.

In fact, the new variety is a passion project for Honduran native and Director of Pineapple Breeding Roberto Young, who counts it as his crowning achievement after 28 years with the company. As part of its mission to positively impact worker welfare and human rights, Dole is reinvesting a portion of Colada Royale proceeds to build a community center for farm workers and their families in Honduras.

“Beyond the taste, consumers today also care about where their food comes from and giving back,” Bil adds. A portion of Colada Royale sales will go directly toward building a community center near our farm in Honduras, which will offer healthcare, education, and training programs. That combination of a premium fruit with a real connection to the people behind it is something we think will resonate strongly.”

In addition to the exciting opportunities it creates for retailers, the debut of this new variety also signals space for continued innovation in an established category.

“Pineapples are a fairly mature category, but Colada Royale shows there is still room for meaningful innovation,” Bil says. “It took more than 15 years to get this variety right, and we see it as proof that patient, thoughtful development can pay off. Unlike some novelty pineapples that may often come to market at very high prices or lean heavily on a marketing gimmick, Colada Royale will be priced within reach of most everyday shoppers. That balance of something new and indulgent, while still accessible, can bring sideline consumers into the category and help really lift sales.”

To learn more about this striking new variety, visit booth #2838 during the GPFS. Until then, keep reading ANUK for the latest updates!